Scientists at MIT have genetically altered yeast to more efficiently assist in ethanol production. According to the researchers, ethanol production was increased by 50 percent.
Researchers altered the yeast genome enabling the faster production of ethanol, according to the latest issue of Science. Scientists caused the overexpression of genes so that it can continue to function in higher ethanol concentrations and increase the rate of fermentation.
The genetic modification of fungi or plants to increase the production of fuel needs to be undertaken cautiously. Unlike modifying plants in the wild, which could spread to neighboring plants, modified yeasts can be carefully controlled in the lab. We can't let out desire to reduce our oil consumption blind us to the risks of creating genetically modified organisms.
